Gimv supported Daniel Attias’ MBI takeover of the Biolam group of laboratories in Amiens, with the ambition to set up a network of reference medical diagnostics laboratories in the north-western region of France. The group is now entering a new phase with the acquisition of Biocéane, a leading player in the Le Havre area.
The adventure began in December 2019 with the acquisition of a platform of 3 laboratories in Amiens and aimed to combine two growth strategies: the opening of laboratories in areas with a shortage of supply and the conduct of external growth operations. Building on the success at Biolab, which was sold to Eurofins in 2018, Daniel Attias is investing heavily in this new project.
Nine months later, the Biolam group (www.groupebiolam.fr) has already opened 4 laboratories in the Hauts-de-France region, acquired the Gilbert-Bourgois laboratory in Douai and announced the acquisition of the Biocéane group, a leading player in the Le Havre area. As part of the latest operation announced this morning, its founder Didier Thibaud, attracted by the entrepreneurial project proposed, joined forces with the Biolam group, which now has 15 laboratories and 150 employees, and generates a turnover of around 20 million euros in the Hauts-de-France and Normandy. Several growth projects are currently being studied.
Gautier Lefebvre, Partner at Gimv, and Kevin Klein, Principal at Gimv, declare: “We are delighted to support Daniel Attias and Didier Thibaud with this exciting and relevant healthcare project. This operation fits perfectly with the philosophy of our Health & Care platform. We will do our utmost to actively empower the group in its further development.”
Daniel Attias, President of the Biolam group, says: “The selection of Gimv as partner for the Biolam project was self-evident, because of their knowledge of the healthcare sector and their ability to support a very fast build-up strategy. Our growth in this special year already shows that our tandem is working perfectly, offering promising prospects for the coming years.”
With this new investment, Gimv’s Health & Care team continues to focus on European consolidation projects, alongside ambitious management teams.
